With the trial subscription, you can try out the 4Rotors for 30 days for free

The price of 8,01 EUR is at a lower price than the annual subscription for the printed issue

Immediately start reading or determine the start date yourself

Free printable gift certificate template for a personal touch

Secure and simple payment

Free Trusted Shops' Buyer Protection for more security

Read an epaper on 5 devices simultaneously: on the web & via App

Read the editorial from 4Rotors - epaper

With this editorial, the editor or editor-in-chief of the magazine 4Rotors - epaper initiates the current issue 3/2018. Here you can find out which articles are especially readable or where the suggestions came from.

The Russian Light Type SurpriseDeveloping a helicopter is always going to require a huge amount of money. Even big companies like the established major manufacturers act very carefully when it comes to investing in new model development. Before making any serious efforts for a new offshore transportation helicopter, several market surveys are conducted and even appointments with oil and gas companies take place in order to fi nd out about their market outlook, since they will order services with operators later on, as the potential customers for any new helicopter product. But even then things can go wrong, as we can now see with the still low oil and gas prices.

The light-helicopter type market is no exception: it took Bell almost a decade before the Jet Ranger X became a reality. But this year's trophy in the category of the biggest surprise, without question, goes to Russian Helicopters. While informing the press at the end of April about a new helicopter model in the up to 2 ton class, the VRT 500 was presented on day one of the Heli Russia just four weeks later. Of course there are doubts that even a company of the size of Russian Helicopters would be able to build a pre-series aircraft model in just four weeks time. Other companies start their marketing campaign at a much earlier stage, let's say when the ink of the fi rst crude design print-out is not even yet dry. But it could be also proof that Russia is trying to enter a weight segment that has been eluded by a lot of western companies. The coaxial main rotor of the single engined heli is a truly russian concept. The fuselage reminds me a bit of Kopter's SH09. Whether the VRT 500 could have a future in western Europe is hard to predict. On the commercial side of things, easing regulations will surely play a major part.

Jens RosenowPublisherWith this editorial, the editor or editor-in-chief of the magazine 4Rotors - epaper initiates the current issue 3/2018. Here you can find out which articles are especially readable or where the suggestions came from. …